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Member Review by JenniferT:

A refreshingly well balanced chardonnay from 2009. Oak and cream on the nose along with vanilla, sweet peaches and pear. On the palate it brings more fruit and some acidity. Great length. (Side note: made my sweetie think of sour cream or dill potato chips).

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The winery site is one of the most attractive in the South Okanagan with outstanding views in a setting of natural beauty. Situated on a bench overlooking the shores of Osoyoos Lake, the site is adjacent to a tract of natural desert land while the newly planted vineyards and orchards provide a stunning contrast.
The Band shares its history and traditions with those who visit the winery. Tour... Read more

The winery site is one of the most attractive in the South Okanagan with outstanding views in a setting of natural beauty. Situated on a bench overlooking the shores of Osoyoos Lake, the site is adjacent to a tract of natural desert land while the newly planted vineyards and orchards provide a stunning contrast.
The Band shares its history and traditions with those who visit the winery. Tour experiences at the winery are enhanced through the architecture, designed and constructed to display native art and artifacts, and enhance the beauty and unique nature of the wild sage desert surroundings. From the early years of ranching, trading and small farms, the people of the Osoyoos Indian Band have continued to change with the times. The Band has a long history of growing grapes and owns 230 acres at the Inkameep Vineyard that were first planted in 1968. Under the expertise of trained viticulturalist Sam Baptise, new varieties are being planted each year to meet current market demands.
Currently, Inkameep Vineyard is micro-managing 40 acres of this vineyard for Nk'Mip Cellars' wine production. Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are all sourced from Inkameep Vineyard. In addition to the original site, huge vineyards have since been planted and now sprawl across the Band's 32,000 acres. These are operated under long-term leases with several wineries. In total 1,155 acres of vines are planted on the Band's land, with plans for an additional 100 to 200 acres within the next year. 25 percent of the total acreage planted in the Okanagan Valley is on the Band's land. Read less

A refreshingly well balanced chardonnay from 2009. Oak and cream on the nose along with vanilla, sweet peaches and pear. On the palate it brings more fruit and some acidity. Great length. (Side note: made my sweetie think of sour cream or dill potato chips).

Established in 1968 by the Osoyoos Indian Band, the Inkameep Vineyard at Oliver has some of the south Okanagan’s most mature vines, including the Chardonnay chosen for this reserve-grade Chardonnay. The band, which operates Nk’Mip Cellars in a joint venture with Vincor, dubs its top grade wines as “Qwam Qwmt” - a phrase in the band’s Okanagan language that means “achieving excellence.” The band sells Inkameep grapes to as many as 13 different wineries. However, Randy Picton, the winemaker at Nk’Mip since 2003, manages to get perhaps the finest grapes for band’s own winery. Some of the Chardonnay wines grow east to west. Picton insists that the north side of the rows be picked days later than the south side, a way of making sure he gets optimally ripe grapes.Such finicky viticulture shows in this wine’s lush flavours and concentration. It begins with aromas of citrus and vanilla. On the palate, there are flavours of pear, ripe tangerine and Scotch marmalade, framed by toasty oak notes achieved by aging the wine 10 months in French oak. While there is evidence of malolactic fermentation, Picton has left a fine spine of acidity. Further aging will ripen this Chardonnay to peak perfection in about three years. 89 points.